Understanding the work life of clinical nurse educators in Canadian hospitals through the Job Demands-Resources...

Clinical nurse educators play a vital role in supporting nursing staff development, clinical competency, and quality of care in acute care hospitals. Despite their importance, limited research has examined the demands and resources that shape their work life and effectiveness.

This study explored the job demands and resources influencing clinical nurse educators' experiences in two Canadian provinces, using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as a guiding framework.

A qualitative descriptive design was used, involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 clinical nurse educators employed in acute care hospitals in Ontario and New Brunswick. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns in participants' descriptions of their roles, responsibilities, challenges, and supports. Codes were developed inductively and organized deductively using the JD-R framework, distinguishing between challenge demands, hindrance demands, job-related resources, and personal resources.

Clinical nurse educators experienced a range of challenge demands, including administrative responsibilities, educational duties, continuous professional learning, and leadership. These aspects of the role provided opportunities for growth but were often accompanied by hindrance demands such as role ambiguity, interpersonal conflict, excessive workload, and lack of recognition. Participants reported feeling undervalued and overextended, with role expectations varying widely across organizations. Despite these challenges, clinical nurse educators drew on job-related resources including supportive colleagues, positive workplace culture, and collaborative teams and personal resources such as coping strategies, motivation, professional development, and social support. When resources were insufficient, clinical nurse educators reported frustration, burnout, and intentions to leave the role. The findings align with the JD-R model, highlighting how imbalance between demands and resources can trigger the health impairment pathway.

Clinical nurse educators' effectiveness and retention are shaped by a complex interplay of job demands and resources. While challenge demands can be motivating, hindrance demands contribute to stress and burnout, particularly when not buffered by adequate support. Addressing role ambiguity, enhancing recognition, and investing in both structural and interpersonal resources are critical to sustaining the clinical nurse educator workforce in hospital settings.